Saturday, May 23, 2009

Spinning Yarn

Pastel Rainbow Fairy Handspun Yarn

Cashmere Merino

Junkyard Fairy Yarn

Spindles, spinning wheels, drum carders, hand carders...all of these can be found around our home. Carding fiber batts and then spinning them up is a tactile, artistic experience, and a nice family project, too!Spinning on our Majacraft Little Gem II

We learned how to spin and card years ago. We started off with a spindle/carding lesson, then Joey and Mommy attended Camp Plucky Fluff to learn more about making novelty yarns. We've done demonstrations and lessons. Mommy attended SOAR a few years back. We love collecting unusual and pretty spindles.

Camp Plucky Fluff Yarn

Some of our batts

One of our spindles

Sometimes, we participate in fiber swaps. We mail in various fibers (wool, alpaca, angelina, eco-spun, cotton, yak, angora, buffalo, tencel, bamboo, silk, soysilk...) to one person who then mixes everything up and sends us back a batch of fiber. The swap participants come from all over the world! Here is a yarn that Joey and Mommy spun up from a fiber swap. We then crocheted it into a funky hat!

Joey and Ricky have been selling their batts and yarns for a few years, now. The money that they earn goes into their college fund. Wilson just started making some batts of his own!

Joey likes to name her yarns after fairies.

Heathered Mist Fairy, Boysenberry Fairy, and Tree Fairy

Ricky names his yarns after the periodic table of elements.Bromine Yarn, Iridium Yarn, and Neon Yarn

19 comments:

Hi JenniferI so loved this spinning post - look at those wheels, spindles, fibre, yarn and such clever children. What beautiful yarn you all spin. I called my boys to come take a look and they were very impressed at the beautiful creations your children spun up. My two older children love to help me spin the wheel and card and dye. How old were your children when they started spinning successfully? Sol very much wants to spin his own yarn too and he enjoyed seeing your children's yarn. Did they start on a spindle or straight on a wheel? Thanks for sharing this. Fibre crafts is so satisfying. I still have so much to learn but the experimenting along the way is great fun.Lovely post - thank you!

Ahhh! I love absolutely everything about this post!!I need to take a visit to your house! : )How excellent your kids are spinning, I love the names they used for their yarns!! This is all so great, huge fiber lover here!

Thank you all for the nice comments! Kelly, to answer your question, the kids all seem to be able to card on their own around 4-5, and use a spindle by 6. Once the spindle is mastered, we move on to the wheel. Just 10 min./day of spindle practice over a couple of months really makes a difference. Having a nice-quality spindle is important, too, so that it spins easily for the kids (I recommend Kundert and have some at goshyarnit.com).

I love how they pick the yarn names. The Bromine yarn is my favorite. Love those bright colors! My daughter is attending a fiber camp this summer where she'll hopefully learn to dye and spin. She's excited!

Jennifer, I lean a little much toward the thinking end of life than the doing. But I love doing. I love art (fiber-ing, sculpting, drawing, painting, collaging, photo-ing...) and wonder why I don't pursue it more often. Your blog inspires me!

Oh how I long to learn to spin!! I think it's awesome that your children already know how to. I would be torn between the two types of naming. I love fairies and yet I'm a lover of the sciences. I would have never thought to name something after the elements-very interesting and creative and the fairy names are as beautiful as the colors. You have amazing and talented children!

So fantastically beautiful.I've been spinning myself this morning, with roving we dyed yesterday (my first time for both).These of yours are so amazing!I love the wildness of some of them.I'm very encouraged, and even more excited about this!Stephanie

That is just awesome! My kids have never tried to spin yarn. I did it once on a drop spindle and it was hard, even though I really enjoyed it. I haven't done it any since. I should pick it up again. Thanks for the inspiration...those kiddos of yours do a beautiful job...their yarn looks better than mine did! :0)

I'm now a huge fan of Ricky's periodic elements yarns! I cannot wait to see you all this weekend at the Fiber Retreat, and compliment him on his work! Fantastic. --(Eilidh) Cat [coffee bar of splendoor]

Man! I'm jealous!!!! We received a nice drop spindle from Santa and have enjoyed using it but we've only been able to successfully spin some thick awkward yarn! You have some lovely spinners and funktastical yarns!!!!

What a lovely post. Your lovely family has inspired me to begin this with my children. It looks so simple. I just love the creative yarns. I love to see the boy and girl differnces in the yarns they make.